Chapter 41: No Appetite, Suspected Argument

Madam Li was already feeling frustrated, and when she saw He Yanxin washing the children’s hands, she couldn’t hold back her grumbling, muttering to herself, “Go wash at your own house, don’t waste our water.”

However, she still didn’t dare let He Yanxin hear it.

She could just barely say a few words to Song Yeqing, but when it came to He Yanxin, Madam Li didn’t even dare speak half a sentence.

There weren’t many dishes on the table—pork slices stewed with kudzu root, a pot of vermicelli with Chinese cabbage, cold-dressed shepherd’s purse, and a pot of mixed grains.

The Wu family’s table wasn’t small, but with thirteen people, it was still a tight squeeze. They brought another table from inside the house and split into two tables. Wu Dalang was still out working, so a separate portion was set aside for him in the kitchen.

Song Yeqing took the children to sit at the second table, and He Yanxin followed and sat there too.

They didn’t want to look at the couple at the first table, who were acting all self-important—just seeing them made one lose their appetite.

Granny Ge noticed and brought most of the meat dishes over to their side, sitting next to them to keep them company.

Wu Erlang’s two sons noticed how much meat was over there and quickly dragged their stools over to sit down as well.

This set of actions made Madam Li quietly roll her eyes again. When Granny Ge was serving the food, Madam Li’s eyes were practically glued to the meat.

So much meat being taken over made her extremely irritated, but she didn’t dare make a scene. She just quickly started grabbing what little meat was left at her table.

The Wu family hadn’t eaten meat in a long time, so they devoured everything noisily. The vermicelli, cooked in spicy red oil, especially won their praise.

The flavor was unique—spicy, yet addictively delicious. Even Granny Ge, usually frugal, couldn’t help but ask He Yanxin where he had bought it in the county.

He Yanxin quickly responded that it had been sold by a traveling merchant, and he didn’t know where the man had gone.

Halfway through the meal, Song Yeqing suddenly found herself unable to eat. Her gaze fell on Wu Erlang’s two children sitting across from her.

The older one was named Wu Youjin, and the younger was Wu Youyin—nicknamed “Stone.” Wu Dalang’s son, Wu Youliang, hadn’t come over and instead sat obediently beside his sister.

“Do you two want to wipe your noses first?”

Apparently, the two kids thought her plainer dish wasn’t flavorful enough and had gone for the bowl loaded with ingredients. As they ate, their noses ran uncontrollably—an unbearable sight for Song Yeqing.

When the two children heard her, they casually raised their arms and wiped their faces with their sleeves, leaving visible smears. Then they continued shoveling food into their mouths.

Song Yeqing: “……”

She really couldn’t eat anymore.

So she stopped. After finishing the last bite in her bowl, she turned her attention to the two boys from her family.

As she picked out food for them, she watched carefully, hoping they wouldn’t end up like the other kids. Even though they weren’t used to using handkerchiefs, she had brought some just in case.

“Not eating anymore?” He Yanxin glanced at her. He seemed to understand the reason and only asked calmly.

“Mm.” Song Yeqing was helping Song Chengsi wipe his barely-there runny nose.

The two boys were well-behaved—she had told them they couldn’t eat spicy food, and they obediently avoided it. Still, kids being kids, a bit of a mess was inevitable.

“Qingniang, why did you stop eating? Eat more. No need to be polite with me,” said Granny Ge as she ladled a spoonful of the kudzu stew into Song Yeqing’s bowl.

Granny Ge had been too focused on the food to notice the earlier scene.

Song Yeqing raised her hand to cover her bowl. “Don’t. Granny, I’m full. Please enjoy.”

Then she turned to the other table and said, “Uncle, sister-in-law, take your time and enjoy.” She deliberately skipped over the couple who should have been addressed as “second brother” and “second sister-in-law.”

By now, it was basically open hostility. No need to keep up appearances. Song Yeqing wasn’t about to indulge them anymore.

“Oh, come on, you’re full after eating so little?” Granny Ge asked, puzzled. “Didn’t you say you missed hometown food?”

“Eat a bit more,” Madam Chen also urged.

Little Stone looked at her curiously while stuffing his mouth, as if wondering why she had eaten so little of such delicious food.

“I’m really full,” Song Yeqing repeated.

Seeing that she truly didn’t want any more, Granny Ge redirected the spoonful of meat toward He Yanxin.

He Yanxin also declined, quickly finished his rice, and set down his chopsticks. He said goodbye to everyone—once again skipping over the couple.

The two children at the table continued to eat and sniffle. Under such conditions, even someone as rough-and-ready as the young Taoist master Song couldn’t finish his meal—let alone He Yanxin, who had grown up in wealth and comfort.

Still, he understood. Unlike modern times, when tissues are always at hand, children in the village usually just wiped their noses on their sleeves.

More particular parents would tie a handkerchief around the child’s neck. Clearly, Madam Li wasn’t one of those people—or rather, she only cared about herself.

Since the two of them had already stopped eating, they didn’t get up right away but waited for the others to finish.

Once everyone had finished, Song Yeqing and He Yanxin helped clean up the dishes. Every bit of food was gone—even the soup was used to mix with rice and eaten clean.

Dishwashing duties were handed to Madam Wu’s daughter-in-law, so the two of them had nothing more to do.

Finally, they exchanged a glance and immediately understood each other.

Better to go back next door. They didn’t feel comfortable staying here. Being around these people, who were both familiar and unfamiliar, made them feel out of place.

So after waiting a short while, He Yanxin announced that they were heading home.

Granny Ge didn’t stop them. It was getting late, and since they lived just next door, she only saw them to the gate.

“Yanxin, wait a moment. Granny wants to ask you something,” she said after walking them out. Then she pulled He Yanxin aside alone.

He Yanxin handed off the younger boy and let Song Yeqing take the kids home while he followed Granny Ge to a quiet corner.

Although curious, Song Yeqing picked up the younger boy and led the elder one back home.

“Tell me the truth—have you been bullying your wife?”

Once Song Yeqing was inside, Granny Ge lowered her voice and asked He Yanxin.

“I haven’t!” He Yanxin looked baffled and innocent. Bully Song Yeqing? Over what? She had so many weapons—he wouldn’t dare!

“Still pretending!”

Granny Ge had been feeling that something wasn’t quite right lately. Qingniang had become quieter, didn’t smile much, and her demeanor had grown cold and distant.

And when the couple were together, it was like there was a wall between them. They didn’t seem as close as they once did.

Could they have had a fight? That was her guess.

Plus, she knew all too well that Qingniang’s kitchen skills were limited. Aside from making snacks and porridge, she could only help out—she didn’t know how to cook properly.

But today, seeing how skillfully she handled everything, it was obvious she’d done it many times before.

Connecting all the dots, it looked like evidence that He Yanxin had bullied her.

“Granny, I really didn’t bully her! If you don’t believe me, call her over and ask!”

He Yanxin felt completely wronged. He had only just gotten back last night—when would he have had time to bully anyone? Unless the original “him” had gotten into a fight with Song Yeqing before he left?

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(End of Chapter)